Splash
Race Dog
Deepbass9, APO and myself planned a Sunday morning breakfast ride to Sun City on dirt roads. The prospect of rain did not enter the equation at the time. Sunday morning turned out to be overcast with a light drizzle. Not exactly what we had hoped for and mud riding not the best of fun.
Praying that it would clear up we set off, optimistic that the rain would shortly stop and a rain suit therefore unnecessary. This was way to optimistic as it rain almost the entire day. This did not hamper our enthusiasm and we completed the out track as I had planned. A little more cautions and less optimistic on the way back, wearing a rain suit and missing the more muddy sections, eventually using tar roads as an escape.
Did make good time to reach breakfast by just past 10:00am. Being cool and a small group stops almost unnecessary, pressing on rather, in the hope of outrunning the rain. Not to be the case. These roads were mostly sand with almost no mud. Good confidence builder and fun to ride – slippery yet still with traction and not clogging up one’s wheels.
Breakfast at Cabana’s a welcome treat. Spent the ride considering what I was going to have and how good it was going to be. Sun City smiled favourably on us, may have been with sympathy, for the three drowned rats that sloshed in, only wanting R75 for breakfast – a bargain.
No rush to finish as rain continued uninterrupted. After one last cup of coffee had to start making our way back. Decided to continue on dirt roads and see how we faired. Pretty slippery and becoming more muddy. Must be human nature to chance one’s luck until it runs out. Survived some really nasty sections until one little dip in the road. Nothing seemed odd apart from an almost glassy look. I slowed down a little, maybe not enough, and before I knew what happened the rear of the bike slid around and I was unceremoniously dumped in the mud. Another strange human failing, the rider behind me decided to drop his bike as well, in sympathy, I think. No harm done and an unmistakable warning that conditions had deteriorated and it was time to take more care. Also getting late with the day’s trials and tribulations mounting. Tar was the way to go for the rest of the journey home.
All in all, a challenging ride, thankfully, no harm or damage done and anyway, any day riding is still a good day, and with a great breakfast thrown in.
Pictures:
Praying that it would clear up we set off, optimistic that the rain would shortly stop and a rain suit therefore unnecessary. This was way to optimistic as it rain almost the entire day. This did not hamper our enthusiasm and we completed the out track as I had planned. A little more cautions and less optimistic on the way back, wearing a rain suit and missing the more muddy sections, eventually using tar roads as an escape.
Did make good time to reach breakfast by just past 10:00am. Being cool and a small group stops almost unnecessary, pressing on rather, in the hope of outrunning the rain. Not to be the case. These roads were mostly sand with almost no mud. Good confidence builder and fun to ride – slippery yet still with traction and not clogging up one’s wheels.
Breakfast at Cabana’s a welcome treat. Spent the ride considering what I was going to have and how good it was going to be. Sun City smiled favourably on us, may have been with sympathy, for the three drowned rats that sloshed in, only wanting R75 for breakfast – a bargain.
No rush to finish as rain continued uninterrupted. After one last cup of coffee had to start making our way back. Decided to continue on dirt roads and see how we faired. Pretty slippery and becoming more muddy. Must be human nature to chance one’s luck until it runs out. Survived some really nasty sections until one little dip in the road. Nothing seemed odd apart from an almost glassy look. I slowed down a little, maybe not enough, and before I knew what happened the rear of the bike slid around and I was unceremoniously dumped in the mud. Another strange human failing, the rider behind me decided to drop his bike as well, in sympathy, I think. No harm done and an unmistakable warning that conditions had deteriorated and it was time to take more care. Also getting late with the day’s trials and tribulations mounting. Tar was the way to go for the rest of the journey home.
All in all, a challenging ride, thankfully, no harm or damage done and anyway, any day riding is still a good day, and with a great breakfast thrown in.
Pictures:
